Sports

By Bakary Ceesay

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has invited the Gambia amongst 54 member Associations to the first ever CAF Stadium Safety and Security Workshop in Cairo. The program opens on 14th October and will address lots of practices for participants to ensure safety and security at national stadiums during international matches.

The Gambia Football Federation is been represented by its FIFA Security Officer Lt Col Musa Jammeh. The two days land mark workshop aims to also ensure international best practices of safety and security to both lives and properties.

According to Officials at the workshop, security of fans, players and officials is a top priority during and after football matches across the African continent. CAF Secretary General Mouad Hajji said the lives of the thousands of fans who throng the various stadia to share moments of joy with family and friends depend on top levels of security and safety.

He highlighted that the workshop will build on the already solid safety and security foundations laid at CAF following the establishment of its first-ever Safety and Security Department headed by Dr. Christian Emeruwa, in February 2018.

Upon his return, Lt Col Jammeh is expected to share with the football leadership the outcome of the workshop to ensuring more safety and security of our matches at the Independence Stadium. The Scorpions qualification to the Afcon 2021 Group stages meant that the Gambia will host three more international matches beginning November when the Qualifiers proper kicks off.

By Bakary Ceesay

Gambia Scorpions have advanced to the Afcon 2021 Qualifiers proper when they edged out Djibouti on Sunday 13th October, 2019 at the return leg of the preliminaries held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. This preceded a one all draw at home (2-2) on aggregate at full time for both legs but settled for a 3-2 scoreline that followed for the Scorpions at penalty shootouts.

Djibouti took the lead early into the opening minutes when striker Mahdi Houssein converted a spot kick nine minutes earlier on. The Gambia created the bulk of the chances at first half coming very close to scoring with Ebrima Colley, Alassana Manneh and Abdoulie Jallow is driving in entertaining but vigor to equal the Djibouti lead. It was until moments (brink of stoppage time) that Abdoulie Jallow leveled the scoring for the Scorpions and going into break.

The Scorpions’ dominance continued and even at the edge of their opponent’s area when new found galaxy of stars Ebrima Colley, Alassana Manneh and dimunitive Ablie Jallow all came close even by a fingertip touch but intents went wide and wayward. The drama didnt stop as Fus Rabat forward Muhammed Badamosi in his twinning with Assan Ceesay also came at the closest time and sent the Stadium in wild unbelievable roaring but the former Gamtel FC forward wasn’t at his best tonight although Badamosi would do the most of the aerial attacks.

Second half saw more Scorpions substitutions as Coach Tom Saintfiet intends to finish the business with more goals to avoid any possible shootouts. This didnt go as planned hence no more goals came forth for the home side. The match ended one all and eventually went into kicks from the penalty spot.

FT 1-1.Gambia 3-2 Djibouti (pen) Ablie Jallow converted the winner for the Gambia while Modou Jobe was hailed for his heroic saves at goal.

The Gambia now advances to the Group stages of the Qualifiers Proper to join Angola, DR Congo and Gabon in Group D of the Afcon.

Speaking to reporters after the game in a post match presser, Scorpions Coach Tom Saintfiet noted the fact that his side could have finished the job in regular time if “we had utilized our chances very well”.

He said as a team, ” we created so many chances and we should have finished the game but we couldn’t score more than one. I was expecting a win in both matches but it was difficult because we had one training session before the first leg and one before this game tonight. I am happy that we qualify and we have a chance to play in the next AFCON”, he said.

Djibouti Coach Julien Mette said, he is very happy with the performance of his team and said they put up a great fight over the two legs. “You can see we have a very young team with only one professional but we fought well. I am really proud of the performance of my team”, he concludes.

By Bakary Ceesay

Gambia Scorpions have heralded their intent to becoming part of the Afcon 2021 Qualifiers proper when they held Djibouti to a one all draw away in Djibouti City on Wednesday 9th October in the first and opening leg of the Continental preliminary Qualifiers.

Despite Djibouti gaining much of the possession and having secured home advantage, the Scorpions held to their nerves and pushed to break a Djibouti jinx to equal the scoring one all when they resumed from their locker rooms.

But it was the hosts that took the lead through an own goal when Gambian defenders wanted to divulge a threat that was ensuing towards Goal keeper Modou Jobe.

Just when many think it was a game for the hosts, Coach Tom Saintfiet took to his heels and commanded the Scorpions’ authority through captain Pa Modou Jagne for his charges to stick and advance to their game approach.

This eventually paid off for the visitors when an ensuing cross came from the left side of the area for defender Bubacarr Sanneh to poke into the roof of the net to the delight of the home fans following the match via Social media.

The game ended one all and it is envisaged that the Gambia will do the final business at home on Sunday 13th October when the two sides return for the final leg.

By Bakary Ceesay

Gambia National Team (Scorpions ) have finally arrived in Djibouti on Monday night and reports from the team Head of delegation Gambia Football Federation (GFF) 1st Vice President Alhagie Bakary K Jammeh confirms that the Scorpions are in good spirit and shape ahead of their first leg in the AFCON qualifiers scheduled for Wednesday 9th October at 19:00hrs.

Speaking from his Sheraton Hotel in Djibouti City at the banks of the Red Sea where the team is been lodged, Mr Jammeh said all essential logistics within the framework of the Gambia vs Djibouti engagement have been provided for by the hosts.

 “We have a reciprocal arrangement with the Djibouti FA and they have provided us with the necessary logistics upon our arrival since yesterday”. He informed this medium that Team Head Coach Tom Saintfiet and his back room staff have held their traditional technical meeting all meant to put heads together for the success of the match ahead.

‘We are scheduled for training at the main bowl of the Stade Gouled in the city later in the evening as at the scheduled time for tomorrow’s match”. Jammeh said the mood and spirits at the Scorpions camp are high.

Commenting on the vitality of the game, GFF number 2 noted with emphasis that the team is very much aware of the importance attached to the engagement and as such all avenues would be exploited to come out victorious of the first leg.

“We are aware of the importance of the game. I don’t think a game could come bigger than this which is shared by the Coach, Technicians and players and we’re all going to do everything possible to make the country proud”.

He said the main preoccupation of the team is currently to work on the Djibouti double header away and home ties which according to him is also the main talking point of the players across the corridors and hotel rooms.

“We will have an early sleep tonight for match day preparations on Wednesday at 7:00 local time (4pm Gambian Time).

Asked about the team’s return to Banjul in readiness for the home and final leg, Jammeh said the route arrangements done by the Ministry Of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council is such that the team will fly back home the same night after the game via Doha (Qatar) where they will connect to Cassablanca (Morocco) and ahead to Banjul. Its a very long haul because you know Djibouti is far away from our part of Africa but at the level of the MoYS and the GFF, we will endeavor to do everything possible to the comfort of the players”. he posited.

The Gambia’s game with Djibouti will be one of many matches across the continent for the beginning of Afcon 2021 preliminary Qualifiers. The winner of the double legged tie will join Angola, DR Congo and Gabon in group D of the Qualifiers proper.

By Bakary Ceesay

The head coach of Gambia national women Beach  Volleyball team Marie Wadda  release her final list of selected players to represent Gambia at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC)  World Beach Games to be hosted in Doha, Qatar from October 12th to 16th 2019.

The Gambia is the only African Country qualified to take part in the FIVB inaugural 4×4 beach Volleyball and the West Africans will battle from Pool B against Australia, Canada and Vanuatu.

The Gambia face Australia on October 12th in Pool B opener at the beautiful Al Gharafa beach. The players selected are: Anna Marie Bojang Gamtel/Gamcel, Fatoumatta Ceesay   Interior, Abie Kujabi   GAF, Mariama Ginadou   Interior, Aminata Gaye   Interior and Sainabou Tambedou   Interior

By Bakary Ceesay

Less than five days to Gambia’s opener at the Afcon 2021 preliminary Qualifiers to Djibouti slated for Wednesday 9th October at Stade Gouled in Djibouti City, Scorpions striker Assan Ceesay has again undoubtedly made the cut to Coach Tom Saintfiet’s final list of 20 players for the double header.

The Swiss based FC Zurich striker has  to talk about his preparation ahead of the qualifiers away to Djibouti this week.

 Speaking to Pan African Visions, the former FC Lugano forward said he is ever prepared to represent his country. ” I am always proud to represent my country and it is always a pleasure and honor”.

He said having the chance to be called up for national duty means a lot to do more for your country. “There are many players who do not have the chance and for me having the chance means something for me and that i should do a lot for my country”.

Asked about the importance of the game, the former Gamtel FC and Cassa Sport forward said, the importance of the game cannot be over emphasized. He said all the players are very concerned and eager to qualify the country.

 “We have nothing to lose. We have to make our country proud and qualify the team. We are all fighting to do our best because it is also good for our career”, Ceesay highlighted. 

He said the strikers in the team will make the difference.

“We are doing it in our clubs so we can do it for our country and we will play as a team but also respect our opponents”.

The Banjul born FC Zurich stellar performer will return to his home country with hopes of making another glorious performance at Djibouti next week. He scored Gambia’s only goal away to Angola when the Scorpions lost to the Palancas Negras 2-1 in the return leg of the World Cup 2022 preliminaries.

Assan is counted amongst the most effective and heart given Scorpions in the squad. ” I feel emotional whenever I wear the Gambian jersey to play for my country and ready to fight for my country and that is why I always give my best”.

By Bakary Ceesay

The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) regrets to inform the general public that it has received communication from FIFA that the Gambia is been fined CHF10,000 for the misconduct of its fans at the first leg of World Cup Qualifier preliminary match at home to Angola on Saturday 6th September 2019.

According to FIFA, the fine is necessitated by the unruly behavior of Gambian fans at the end of the game and thus warranted the world football governing body to levy such a penalty for the infringement of the provisions of FIFA code of conduct for match security and order.

In light of this development, the  GFF regrets that such a behavior still persists amongst fans and therefore remains a worrying situation for our football.

The general public is reminded that this is the latest fine amongst many that has been levied on the Gambia all largely due to fans’ misconduct at match days at the Stadium. The situation cannot be left unattended and as such all are urged to stay away from hooliganism and use of unsporting behaviors as it is contrary to the norms of football.

While we crave your indulgence to be patient with us in our drive to the development of the beautiful game, we equally indulged on you to desist from any form of trouble that might be a jeopardy to Gambian football and our quest to heighten football in the Gambia

By Bakary Ceesay

Gambia Scorpions Head Coach Tom Saintfiet has finalised his 20-man squad for the upcoming 2021 AFCON Preliminary Round Qualifiers against Djibouti  at  the Stade Gouled in Djibouti City on 9^th October, 2019.  

This final selection follows the submission of his 28-man provisional squad list.

Sulayman MARREH was reported by his club as having an injury and is therefore unable to take part in the upcoming matches.

 Ibou TOURAY and Ebou ADAMS, both plying their trade in League Two in England, requested permission to concentrate on their respective club duties.

Bun SANNEH has been excused by the Head Coach to focus on international duties with the WAFU team currently in Senegal competing for the WAFU Cup of Nations.

Baboucarr GAYE, Adama JAMMEH and local based players Alagie NYABALLY and Ngine Faye NJIE were also amongst those who did not make the final squad but remain in contention for selection in the future.

Scorpion’s final 20-man squad:- Goalkeepers: Modou JOBE (Jeddah FC, Saudi Arabia), Sheikh SIBI (Virtus Verona, Italy)

Defenders: Pa Modou JAGNE (FC Zürich, Switzerland), Omar COLLEY (Sampdoria, Italy), Mohammed MBYE (Mjällby, Sweden), Bubacarr SANNEH (Göztepe, Turkey), Sulayman BOJANG (Kongsvinger IL, Norway), Dadi Dodou GAYE (KFUM Oslo, Norway)

Midfielders: Alasana MANNEH (Górnik Zabrze, Poland), Dawda NGUM (FC Roskilde, Denmark), Hamza BARRY (Hajduk Split, Croatia), Ablie JALLOW (AC Ajaccio, France), Ebrima COLLEY (Atalanta, Italy), Sheriff SINYAN (Lillestrøm, Norway)

Forwards: Assan CEESAY (FC Zürich, Switzerland), Bubacarr JOBE (Mjällby, Sweden), Ali SOWE (CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria), Yusupha NJIE (Boavista, Portugal), Muhammed BADAMOSI (FUS Rabat, Morocco), Musa BARROW (Atalanta, Italy).

The players summoned will begin their journey to Djibouti via Istanbul on Monday 7^th October, with the first leg scheduled to take place at the Stade Gouled in Djibouti City on Wednesday 9^th October with a 7pm kick-off.

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

Authorities in Cameroon have named Portuguese born coach António Conceição da Silva Oliveira popularly known as Toni Conceição as Heach coach of the Indomitable Lions until the 2021 AFCON tournament. The former Portuguese International right back replaces Clarence Seedorf who was sacked after this year’s AFCON in Egypt.

Toni Conceição was not even amongst the personalities being interviewed for the job – albeit it being secret. Three persons had made their decision public to coach the Indomitable Lions – Cameroonians Patrick Mboma and Anicet Mbarga Foe and Fomer Girondin de Bordeaux Gustavo Poyet. This decision to name Toni will not come as a surprise to many in Cameroon as it was the same way former Caoch Clarence Seedorf was appointed – through the back door.

According to Kick442.com, Toni was capped once for Portugal in an 11 years playing career across 3 clubs in his native land. He had two separate spells each on the books of Portuguese giants FC Porto and SC Braga. The Portuguese retired from Professional Football and switched into coaching in 1999 as trainer of SC Braga’s feeder team.

He spent 3 years with the reserves of SC Braga before picking up his first senior team coaching job in 2003 after he was named interim coach of SC Braga’s first team. That same year he switched to Naval Primero de Maio where he spent another year.

Toni has gone on to serve as coach for 12 other clubs amongst which include Portuguese sides Vitoria Setubal, Trofense, Belenenses enjoying lower division successes especially in promoting three of his first four clubs to with the exception of Vitoria de Setubal.

In the 2009 season, he joined Romanian giants CFR Cluj and enjoyed his best stint as a coach at the club. Toni won the first of two Romanian Cup for the club and the Super Cup before returning to Portugal to coach Belenenses in 2010.

After three difficult months at Os Belenenses suffering top level relegation, Conceição returned to Romania, where he coached SR Braşov and FC Astra Ploiești. He later moved to Cyprus in 2017 where he worked for top flight side Nea Salamina. He came back to Portugal to manage second tier side Penafiel. He was at CFR Cluj in his third spell last season but was sacked before the end of the season.

The Portuguese who is having his first experience as a national team coach and the first in the African continent will be assisted by Ex-Cameroon internationals François Oman Biyik, Jacques Songo’o as goalkeeper coach and team Doctor Professor William Ngatchou.

If the Portuguese wants to win over the Cameroonian supporters, he will need to get off to a winning start with the team. Lion’s fans are notorious for losing support for a coach if his performance is not satisfactory.

By Bakary Ceesay

Following a conducted tour of facilities being built ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, His Excellency, President Adama Barrow expressed his admiration for Qatar’s state of preparedness for the forthcoming global sporting event.

President Barrow, who was impressed with the tour, said his experience was inspiring and shall be a learning curve for him and the government in the effort to successfully organize the Organization of Islamic Conference Summit in The Gambia the same year.

“It is a coincidence that Qatar and The Gambia are both small countries yet would be hosting two global events in 2022’’,

President Barrow said at the end of the tour that took place on the sidelines of the State visit.  ‘’Key in the hosting of such events is the development of the road infrastructure to ease travel as well as the venues with modern facilities to host world-class events”.

Earlier, President Barrow visited a new ultra-modern underground train station and an exhibition centre, all of which have been built in preparation of the World Cup.  His Excellency, Mr. Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, Minister of Municipality and Environment, who is in charge of these infrastructural developments, accompanied President Barrow on this tour of the facilities.

The Minister also led the president on a ride onboard one of the new trains at the Al Qassar Rail Station that are designed to ease travel around the city and make the different stadiums accessible.

President Barrow also stopped at the complex of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy,  the body responsible for organizing the hosting of the World Cup. Nasser Al Khater, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar FIFA 2022 was at hand to brief the President about the history of football in Qatar, the country’s bidding experience for the World Cup, and the designs of the different stadiums being built in preparation for the 2022 games in Qatar.

By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma

Kei Ansu Kamara

The Executive Committee of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has in a statement said it has recalled Sierra Leone’s International Striker, Kei Ansu Kamara for the game between Leones Stars and Lone Stars of Liberia for the Qatar 2022 World Cup Preliminary qualifiers.

‘’The Executive Committee would like to inform the public that Kei Ansu Kamara has been recalled to the National Senior Team ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Preliminary Qualifiers against Liberia’’

The Colorado Rapids Star was initially dropped by the FA from the squad ahead of the match in Liberia due to his comment on his social media page about football in the country.

‘’The Sierra Leone Football Association wishes to inform to the public that a decision has been taken to drop Sierra Leone International Striker Kei Ansu Kamara from the National Senior Team Leones Stars effective today 21^st August 2019. Kei Kamara’s official invitation to join the Leone Stars squad for the Liberia vs. Sierra Leone World Cup qualifiers in September has been revoked with immediate effect,’’ SLFA said in a statement last week.

According to the FA, the decision has been taken after Kamara’s apology on radio and social media over the weekend following his suspension by the FA for breach of professional conduct.

Kamara and other foreign based players are expected to be in Sierra Leone on or before the 29 of August 2019.

The team will travel to Liberia for the first leg of the preliminaries on the 4^th September 2019 and later host the Lone Star for the return leg at the Siaka Steven Stadium on the 8^th September 2019.
Kamara is part of nineteen (19) foreign based plyers invited by the FA to play the Sierra Leone and Liberia encounter.

By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma

Musa Noah Kamara

Sierra Leone’s Football Association (SLFA) has in press statement on Saturday 24^th August confirmed the termination of Musa Noah Kamara contractual agreement with Swedish club Trelleborgs FF.

According to the statement from the SLFA, the President and Executive of Sierra Leone Football Association would like to inform the public that Swedish Club Trelleborgs FF and Musa Noah Kamara aka ‘’Musa Tombo’’ have agreed on the termination of the contractual agreement in August 2019

An official correspondence dated 22^nd August 2019, sent to the SLFA President by Trelleborgs’ Manager Peter Swärdh stated, “I would like to emphasize that we are grateful for your clear position in this matter… you had the ability to act quickly to give clarity on Musa’s behaviour and decisions.” Swärdh went on to say that “we understand the background you described for Musa and how it may have affected his thoughts.”

The release further stated that, despite Madam Johansen’s intervention and efforts to try to turn the situation around the club’s response was that, “we do not believe that it is possible for Musa to win back the trust of the board, the management, and players in view of what has

happened.”

‘’The SLFA President would like to communicate that Musa’s situation whilst very

disappointing, has given both Trelleborgs FF and the SLFA a clearer understanding of

the need to be involved the welfare and adaptation of young players heading off to

countries with vast different cultures in the future. She hopes that the FA can adapt

and apply the same strategy with all future international clubs’’SLFA said.

However, the FA president has pledged to mentor, and support Musa Tombo Kamara

throughout his current confidence building, reintegration and training program in the

fervent hope that he will be ready to embark on another international signing in the not

too distant future.

‘’The SLFA Executive is using this platform and opportunity to humbly request that the

public and social media subscribers embrace humanity as we try to give this young and highly talented football player a chance to focus and grow from his mistakes. Let us put the past behind us and look into the future of Leone stars qualifying into world cup and the African Nations Cup Qualifier’’

Musa Kamara, retuned home last week after it emerged on social media that he was coming home as he couldn’t cope with the cold weather in Sweden. Kamara finished as the top goal scorer in the 2019 Sierra Leone Premier League with 15 goals to help East End Lions emerge as champions.